My 4 year old panther has been barely eating for several weeks. I have had him since he was 1 1/2. Person I got him from had only fed him crickets. He was never great at catching crickets so I hand fed him - he would normally eat several crickets most days, skipping a day now and then. Starting about 6 weeks ago I could barley get him to eat - one or two crickets some days with a great deal of coaxing, none other days. He would typically drink water when I held up the water bottle and squirted it in his mouth. After a few weeks of barely eating, I took him to the vet. He had been check for parasites about a year ago and there were none. This time the vet said he didn't see anything obvious and he drew blood. The results didn't show anything wrong. After another week or two of barely eating, I asked him to do a fecal and brought in a stool sample. This time he said it showed giardia and gave me a prescription for metronidazole which I gave him 0.5ml for 6 days. When we gave him the medicine, I was also squirting some water into his mouth and also getting a cricket or two in his mouth since he wasn't eating or drinking otherwise. We finished the medicine on Monday. Since then, he is making no attempt to eat or drink on his own. Since I am afraid he is wasting away, we have forced his mouth open and squirted in some water and have force fed him two crickets on Wednesday and one tonight. He hates this and it is stressing him out. Any advice on getting him to eat or if there is some food supplement we could get into him would be greatly appreciated. At this rate, he isn't going to make it and I am so upset about it.
Help! Panther chameleon not eating or drinking!
- Thread starter helener
- Start date
Thanks!
Thanks so much for telling me about the Repta Boost. I got some yesterday and got some into him yesterday and today. He is swallowing it. I am upset that my vet had never suggested this. I called another vet today and she agreed that trying Repta Boost was a good idea. I am hoping that this brings him around.
Thanks so much for telling me about the Repta Boost. I got some yesterday and got some into him yesterday and today. He is swallowing it. I am upset that my vet had never suggested this. I called another vet today and she agreed that trying Repta Boost was a good idea. I am hoping that this brings him around.
Oliviabryant
Member
Flukers products are garbage.. I would highly suggest avoiding them. You can also provide adequate water by injecting a silkie or hornworm with water, make sure they are small/med sized so that is it easier to get down. If he is to weak your best bet to boost his health mat be to mash them up and mix in a bit of water - then suck it up into a syringe. Of course like kinyonga said - a little at a time. Please just remember force feeding is to be used as a last option.
kplatvoet
Member
I'm glad he's perking up
I've gotten silks from mullberry farms and coastal silk worms but both seem to be out of stock -
and have used
http://www.greatlakeshornworm.com/hornworm-cups
Bluebottle flies have also been known to break hunger strikes (mantisplace.com) you have to hatch them out -which takes a couple of days
I can usually get supperworms and wax worms and horn worms at my local store
Wax worms aren't very nutritious -but might be worth a try to get him to eat on his own -
I've gotten silks from mullberry farms and coastal silk worms but both seem to be out of stock -
and have used
http://www.greatlakeshornworm.com/hornworm-cups
Bluebottle flies have also been known to break hunger strikes (mantisplace.com) you have to hatch them out -which takes a couple of days
I can usually get supperworms and wax worms and horn worms at my local store
Wax worms aren't very nutritious -but might be worth a try to get him to eat on his own -
kplatvoet
Member
I just saw in the classified section food that Nick Barta has silk's & horn's for sale
https://www.chameleonforums.com/silk-worms-horn-worms-135073/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/silk-worms-horn-worms-135073/
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
this is important advice ^
a change in diet and increased access to water (not squirted in his mouth but via drippers and long spray sessions) may help
